The African Union (AU) in partnership with the Government of Senegal and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is launching, on November 8, 2022, the AU Youth Consultation on the theme: "Accelerating actions and Promoting Positive Masculinity to End Violence against Women and Girls” ahead of the second African Union Men's Conference on Positive Masculinity in Leadership to End Violence against Women and Girls.
The Youth Consultation takes place in hybrid format at the Esplanade of the Museum of Black Civilizations, in Dakar, Senegal, from 9:00 AM.
The fight against discrimination and violence is one of those causes that leave no room for neutrality, as they impose only one choice: commitment and action. Violence against women and girls is one of the most serious and widespread human rights violations in the world. Violence against women reminds us that it is impossible to achieve sustainable development as long as the rights to life, health and physical integrity are not guaranteed for all.
It is in this context, bearing in mind the importance of a comprehensive approach to the prevention and elimination of violence against women, that the Inaugural African Union Men's Conference was held on Positive Masculinity in Leadership to End Violence Against Women and Girls on November 25, 2021 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the girls.
This landmark conference saw the adoption of the Kinshasa Declaration and Call for Action on Positive Masculinity, which was later adopted as a decision of the AU Assembly at the AU Heads of State Summit in February 2022. The Declaration and Call to Action, inter alia, enjoins AU Heads of State to report annually on measures taken and progress made to end violence against women and girls in Africa.
As a result, addressing the role of men in perpetrating acts of violence and recognizing that patriarchal norms of masculinity promote violence have become a priority. In 2021, the AU organized a consultation with young people, traditional leaders, political actors and civil society activists to discuss how young people in Africa can be fully involved, empowered and meaningfully engaged in the fight against violence
Among the outcomes of this youth consultation was the call for Member States to design programs and interventions to address stigma and discrimination against adolescents and young people based on different factors, the guarantee of free, equal, age-appropriate and quality services for adolescents and young people, which allow access to reproductive health services and meet the needs of all adolescents and young people, especially those who have survived abuse and neglect. Emphasis was placed on recognizing young people as key contributors to work on positive masculinity and supporting them in this regard.
As part of preparation for the second AU Men's Conference on Positive Masculinity in Leadership, it is essential to consult with youth, political actors, civil society and traditional leaders through a series pre-conference consultations to review progress made since last year, identify gaps that exist in the implementation of the Kinshasa declaration, reflect on new ideas emerging on current trends, discuss possible ways to address these challenges and how young people can play a key role in this regard.
Possible ways and key recommendations to address implementation challenges and existing success stories will be presented to Heads of State and Governments during the second AU Men's Conference, to be held in Dakar, Senegal, November 9 and 10.
The Youth Consultation foresees the participation of the 5
Contacts
- Mr. Jacob Enoh Eben | Regional Communication Advisor | UNFPA WCARO | Tel.+221774504780 | eben@unfpa.org
- Aïssata SALL, Program Officer Communication, Partnership and Resource Mobilization UNFPA Senegal. Phone: 77 857 59 86 Email: asall@unfpa.org
